Novitaesol ENG
Meaning Name The name Novitaesol is a combination of the words new, life and sun and that's exactly what it means: The new life of the suns. It's the five days before the new Solit, so Novitaesol is the preparation time for the new Solit. Time Period The Springlunes, New-Year's-Lunes, or Novitaesol are the holy 13th Lunade, in which the mother goddess Danu is honored. These five days start after 30.12. (Nujin time) and end one day before 01.01. (Nujin time). Origin It is said that Danu enlightened the warrior Nujin with her knowledge in the Novitaesol, in the year zero after Nujin time, whereupon Nujin started a new era. Novitaesol is the time when gifts are offered to the Holy Mother and great festivals are held in her honor. Traditions Banquets Banquets are usually organized with whole towns/villages/communes. Everyone contributes something and everything may be shared. The food is blessed by priests before eating. Typical dishes: * sweet cakes * roast meat * fish * cooked vegetables * pastry * salads Depending on the region, the food is different. Meat is sourced from local animals just as other foods from the local area are used. Typical drinks: * Wine * Mead * Fianutbeer * Lionsfruit Juice Entertainment Good entertainment is part of every good festival. There is music, singing and dancing, but also storytellers, fire breathers and other entertainers are always welcome. Especially travelers are warmly welcomed during the festivals, because they often bring new stories, songs, dances and customs with them. Lovers Not infrequently, one or the other takes a (new) lover during the novitaesol. The festivities offer opportunities for togetherness that many enjoy. If a child arises from this relationship, it is dedicated to the goddess and is blessed by Danu with happiness. Spring Bonfires The large bonfires, which are lit at the beginning of Noviteasol, also called Springfire, must not extinguish until Ortura. They are to cleanse the bad of the last Solit, to protect the new one and to safely carry all the good of the last one into the new Solit. In adverse weather conditions, to protect the fire, a shell of the refractory Fianut is filled with coals and part of the Springfire is put into it. This bowl will be given to a chosen one, who will have to guard it with their own life from now on and nourish it with new fuel until the new Solit begins, or another bonfire can be lit with the Springfire. Spring wishes It is common to burn spring wishes in the form of bound twigs, leaflets or beeswax candles during the course of Novitaesol. If these things are lit with the spring fire and burned completely, it is said that the wish comes true. Typical spring wishes are for example: Love: A curl of the person of your desire is braided around an apple branch seven times, a branch of Rosemary and a piece of Blackberry bush are knotted onto it with red died sheep wool. Prosperity: Basil, Angelica, Chamomile and Laurel, chopped, dried and formed into a beeswax candle. Health: A turmeric leaf, painted on it, with red ocher, the sign of the goddess, Lavender, Basil and Rosemary, all tied to a blossoming apple branch with sheep wool. Offerings As thanks, gifts are offered to the mother goddess. Mostly in the form of colorful wreaths, sweet cake, juicy pastries and strong wine or beer, but also human sacrifice in the form of a fire ritual, are set out. Fire ritual The fire ritual takes place in the evening before Ortura and is reserved for those who want to serve the gods. In this ritual, a priest candidate is led into a hut specially set up for this purpose, dressed in white. The local priest will now light this hut with the spring fire, which will cleanse the aspirant. On the morning of Ortura, a new born priest steps out of the ashes. Colorful decorated houses, trees and altars Colorful flowers and ribbons are hung on houses and trees, altars adorned, wreaths wreathed and people and other creatures decorate their hair with colorful ribbons and blooming flowers, braid chains and wreaths and hand these to a man or a woman of their desire, as a request to spend Novitaesol with them.